Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Went to go visit my motivation for losing weight today. Sigh. Even Prettier than I thought it would be from the website. Especially in the whiskey color. Took everything I had not to walk out of the store with it.
But I did get myself a little something... a purple leather photo frame heart charm. Just right for a little picture of precious baby.
I went to the gym last night... and got the worst headache ever! I had just started lifting weights and was using the leg press machine when suddenly I got the most horrible pain, right on the top of my head! It was so bad it brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't finish the work out. I couldn't even finish the weights. I grabbed precious baby and went home, trying really hard not to cry the whole way, my head hurt so bad. I took a 600 mg motrin... which didn't take the pain away completely.. it just took the edge off. Hubby thinks that the headache was caused by not eating enough protein. Maybe he's right... he works out religiously, so I guess he would know. And I didn't eat much protein yesterday, so hopefully, that's it. I'll go to the gym and do cardio today (no weights). I'm just going to have to work out on Friday, which is usually my off day, but since I left the gym yesterday after doing one set of weights, I'm going to count it as my off day. That way I still get my six days in --- especially after visiting the Legacy today...you better believe I'm going to get one!!!

Monday, January 29, 2007

Ok, so no size 10. I think the 12s I bought on Friday at old navy were actually 14s and were Mislabeled... I compared them to other 12s and they were definitely much bigger. So I bought some real 12s, and they fit. Now my 14s are too big.
I worked out on both Saturday and Sunday too. And I watched my portions and ate healthy, not junk... Except for Friday night, when we met friends and ate buffalo wings. But at least I worked out like a fiend on Saturday, so maybe that helped.
I did portion up plenty of healthy snacks for this week, so I won't be snacking on junk when I get home. Endame, celery sticks and even blanched asparagus. Yummy!
I'm really committing myself to working out, eating better and getting thinner. I really want the legacy bag, but I think it's even getting beyond that now. I just want to feel better and to look better. I saw my friend Brit at a birthday party on Saturday night and she even commented that I was looking slimmer. It made my day.
So here it is... I will work out six days this week and I will watch my portions, drink water first, before I eat, to make sure I'm not just thirsty, and just drink more water PERIOD. I will eat healthy and not eat junk.
That's really going to be hard on Sunday... Superbowl Sunday... And we are having our yearly superbowl party... Which means junk food. Ouch. But Brit will be there, and she's committed to healthy eating too, so I'll have an ally to help keep me in line. I'll also make sure that we have lots of veggies and low calorie dip to eat, so I won't be so tempted by the queso and buffalo wings.

Friday, January 26, 2007

So, as promised, yesterday I weighed myself. Shudder. 178. 2 pounds lost. God, is that all? I had really hoped for more than that! At this rate, the Legacy Handbag that I want will be discontinued before I get my hands on it.

So, I'm going to have to step up on the work out and work much harder to control my portions at dinner. Last night I didn't do so well with the portion thing. I made a chicken and rice dish in the crock pot for dinner. It had carrots in it, but there weren't enough veggies for my taste. I sauteed some red pepper, yellow squash and zucchini (my favorites!) to add to my plate. Problem is, I had two more plates of chicken and rice after that. I have got to stop the seconds and thirds. So, I'm going to start preparing a lot more veggies for every meal. I figure, If I feel the need to eat more, then at least let it be veggies, and not things like rice or other starchy stuff. Also, I need to drink more water before and during the meal. Maybe if I fill up more on water I'll eat less?

I'm also going to have to work out more. The four day a week plan that I've been on obviously isn't doing enough. I'm going to have to start working out six days a week. I figure that Friday will be my off day, which makes sense, since we always seem to be so busy on Fridays... Especially the Fridays when we have to pick up Boy for the weekend.

So, the plan is...
  • More water at dinner both before, during and after... In fact, if I feel the need to eat more, I should drink a glass of water first.
  • Watch my portions... No more than one portion of the meat or starch at any meal
  • More veggies at every meal
  • Work out six days per week

Starting now.

Update:

I went shopping at lunch at old navy. My size 14 jeans were just too loose. I had purchased them on new years eve and they seemed tight then... I know they stretch a little but even freshly washed they are too loose. I purchased a pair of very comfortable size 12s. Maybe Hubby is right. Maybe I am getting thinner. Eating snap beans and low fat ranch dip in celebration. Told you I would eat more veggies!

Yet Another Update:

After wearing the new 12s for about 10 minutes, I am convinced that they are too big too... especially in the waist... they feel like they are going to fall off and there semms to be about 2 inches to spare in the waist band! I'm going to stop by Old Navy on the way home... and try on some 10s!

Thursday, January 25, 2007

So as mentioned some time back in this blog, I mean to take better care of myself. That means, primarily, eat better, exercise more, and lose weight. I've been doing pretty well on the eat better front. Every time Hubby has to have LJS (evil, fried fish and chicken... And 990 calories for each meal he eats, and he eats 2!) I have resisted. I eat fruit, or a salad or veggies and dip. I eat oatmeal everyday for breakfast. I eat fruit every day... Lately I've been on a grapefruit kick... I eat a large one every day. I eat a salad or soup for lunch. I try to eat a sensible dinner. That has been my downfall... The dinner is usually sensible, but I think my portions at dinner are just out of control. Yesterday I ate a salad for dinner and two helpings of spaghetti, when I should have only had one. I also find it hard to resist snacking right when I get home... So maybe I need to be snacking on something good... Like carrot sticks and celery, instead of cheese. I have been going to the gym regularly... Well, except for last week, when the entire city shut down for three days due to icy conditions... I didn't go to the gym at all last week. But I went right back this week. And I'm trying to run more because I want to run the big 10K race this year. And I want to look ok doing it... No really, I want to look fabulous, but I'm not sure I'm going to get there that fast.

Last time I weighed myself, I was so disappointed. 180. Horrible. I think I might have lost a little... Hubby says I look thinner, and I recently bought some jeans that are smaller... And they feel a little big... But maybe they stretch when I wear them? I don't know. I guess I need to weigh myself. And the place to do it is at the gym. So I guess I'm going to face that monster today. ***shaking with fear*** I am not looking forward to it. I'd really hate to see no progress at all, since I've really been trying.

But I want to motivate myself. And If I can stick with it, and see some results, I want to get myself this. http://www.coach.com/content/product.aspx?product_no=8555&category_id=68
Beautiful, Isn't it?

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

So as I mentioned before, we had some seriously wild weather last week. Snow and Ice. Between the MLK holiday, snow days and Confederate hero's day, I was home all of last week with Precious Baby.

It was wonderful. I could so totally be a Stay at home mom. It felt so good to play with her all week, to chase her around, to read stories whenever she came to me with one of her books (pretty much all the time) and to just be there with her. I wish, wish wish I could stay home with her, but we just can't afford it.

Boo.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Insanity continues to ensue. Last Saturday, January 13th, we had torrential rainstorms here in our part of Texas. As a result, the game room at my house flooded. Yep, that's right... Water coursed in, under the walls and soaked my rugs. Luckily, my antique desk, the computer tower and hubby's big screen TV were all spared.

Hubby and I had been planning to renovate the game room and make it nicer, and in fact had planned to start that weekend, but not now. The game room had, at one time, actually been a covered porch that ran the entire length of the back of our house. At some point, a previous owner decided to enclose the porch. It was obvious that they hadn't done the best job, which is why Hubby and I were planning to renovate. But, after the flood waters receded, Hubby started cutting away at the lower walls to determine the extent of the water damage. That was when he discovered just how badly the job had been done. He also found evidence of another, previous flood, and that a section near the back door was rotted out.

"We should just tear it down and expand into the garage," Hubby said after spending some quality time with a saw and a prybar on the gameroom drywall. "It's going to cost us more to fix it than it's worth."

"Are you serious?" I asked. "Can we please do that?" I suddenly had visions of the gameroom replaced by a large, covered porch that ran the length of the back of the house. Posts covered in climbing, flowering vines. My lemon tree nested among potted ferns. A large rattan sette covered with pillows and my outdoor dining table and chairs suddenly having a proper home.

So, we are going to do it. We looked at the garage and consulted Brother in Law, who worked for his dad, a general contractor, for many years. The garage needs to have some concrete poured to raise the foundation to the level of the rest of the house, and we need to install an interior wall to partition the laundry area from the new gameroom. We will recycle the windows from the old gameroom and install them in the opening where the garage door is. This will actually work perfectly because the windows from the current gameroom match the windows in the front of the house, so reusing them will create a sense of continuity when the addition is finished. Once the garage is finished, we will need to hire a contractor to cut an entryway into the new gameroom from our living room wall.

Once that is finished and the furniture is out of the old gameroom, the fun will really begin. We will have to install posts and lintels to support the existing roof, and once that's done, it's time to knock down the walls! I've promised Boy that he can wield a sledgehammer on this project. He is genuinely excited.

Finally, I will have the back porch I've always wanted. And it just took a flood to get there.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

So it's 2007....
And the holidays are over, thank goodness. I'll go into THAT later. But right now, I'm going to get shallow and snipey. Mr. Blackwell issued his Worst Dressed List yesterday, and so I guess it inspired me. It's time to talk style, and being that it is 2007, I think it bears mentioning... And that something is... Mall bangs.

yes, mall bangs. Circa 1988.

We all know what I'm talking about here... They start very high on the head and are curled, teased and sprayed until they stand about 6 inches off the head. Often, they were worn with a poodle perm, but it was also quite common to see them with long straight, stringy hair too... This was the WT version of the mall bang.

This came to my attention this morning, as I walked through the cube farm to my office. A resident of the cube farm sports an outrageous WT version of the mall bang. http://www.naughtysecretaryclub.com/BigBangs.htm (Please note that the pictures on this site are merely examples... None of them actually depict the offender I am discussing.) I'd noticed it before, but what really called my attention to it this morning was that (we'll call her) HJ had the rest of her hair pulled back in pony tail, which just really seemed to highlight the insanity that is her mall bang. In fact, HJ's mall bang is so impressive that when she sits at her computer with her back to the lane between cubes, her bangs are clearly visible above and to the sides of her head to all passers by. That's right... Her bangs are visible above and to the sides of her head... from behind.

Now, I don't know how old HJ is. I would guess that she is a few, maybe three, years older than me. I am thirty three, so she is maybe 36? My point regarding her age, is that for crying out loud, mall bangs went out in 1988!!!! It is 2007... That is almost 20, yes TWENTY years ago! I am trying to imagine being stuck in the same beauty rut for 20 years. Dear me. 20 years ago, I was 13. I thought merlot colored hair and fedoras were cool. Thank goodness I'm passed that phase. For proof, click the link. I'm the one without bangs. http://www.flickr.com/photos/gadgetadam/341343665/in/set-72157594452738704/

I really wonder about these folks who get themselves stuck in ruts like this. I can't imagine wearing the same haircut that I had 5 years ago, or wearing the same lipstick shade. Twenty years? Whoa! You have to wonder if these folks have lost their eyesight? And why, oh why have their loving families and friends not staged an intervention on them? Would you let your friends walk around sporting mall bangs? I sure wouldn't. On my planet, at least, friends don't let friends wear mall bangs, or flash dance sweatshirts, or mom jeans, or Christmas sweaters... You get the idea.

Honestly, ***snarkeyness follows*** I really want to just go get a garden hose and spray down HJ's bangs until they are flat on her forehead like bangs should be... like my friend Brit's bangs in the photo I've linked. Of course, given the insane amounts of Aqua Net hairspray that the mall bang requires, a garden hose might not be sufficient. Maybe a fire hose.

I made a lot of new years resolutions this year. One more that needs to be made by all is to take what ever action is necessary to eliminate the mall bangs. Really, mall bangs are the female equivelent of the mullet... and I think we can all agree how much that needs to go. Yes, you, Billy Ray Cyrus. And if you are the one wearing the mall bangs, well, time to find a fire hose, OK? Before I do it for you.